You don't need me to tell you that smoking is bad for your health, I'm sure your doctor and family have already done that, not to mention all the advertisements showing the impact smoking has on your health.  However, what I am here to discuss is how smoking during pregnancy can have a very damaging and lasting impact on the life growing inside of you, on your baby.

The facts and figures speak for themselves.  Over 115,000 miscarriages and 5,600 infant deaths each year are attributed to smoking.  Smoking causes a decrease in oxygen in your system which also means if you are pregnant your growing fetus is suffering from a lack of oxygen as well.  The developing baby needs oxygen to grow.  

Smoking during pregnancy will cause:

  • An increased risk of vaginal bleeding throughout your pregnancy
  • An increased risk of miscarriage
  • An increased risk of preterm delivery
  • An increased risk of having a low birth weight baby
  • An increased risk of infant breathing lapses (apnea)
  • An increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
  • An increased risk of your baby dying in the first year of life

Second hand smoke can also impact the development of your growing baby so if someone in your household smokes you should ask them to either quit or only smoke outside.  They'll need to continue smoking outside only after the baby arrives too.  You should avoid being around second hand smoke whenever you can.  Babies and children exposed to smoke tend to have more breathing problems such as asthma and allergies, more respiratory illness during childhood and a decrease in their lung function.

If you are smoking during pregnancy you should quit.  The sooner you quit the better.  Talk to your doctor about ways to quit smoking, if there are programs you can become involved in that will help you, and what smoking cessation options you can use during pregnancy.  Your child and your lungs will thank you for taking the steps to improve your health and the health of your unborn child.

For more information on the effects of smoking on a growing fetus and how to quit smoking you can visit,